JPS subsidiary signs US$330m deal to build power plant

THE Jamaica Public Service Company’s (JPS) subsidiary, South Jamaica Power Company (SJPC), has signed an engineering, procurement and construction contract with Spanish contracting firm TSK.

The contract covers the construction of a highly anticipated 190-megawatt power plant in Old Harbour Bay, St Catherine. The cost of the plant is approximately US$330 million.

General Manager of the SJPC Dan Theoc told Wednesday’s signing ceremony that the new power plant would facilitate the addition of more natural gas to the fuel mix.

"The last [base load] power plant to be built by JPS was in 2003," he pointed out, in reference to the Bogue Power Plant in Montego Bay, which was recently converted to using natural gas.

"This plant will be even more significant to the energy landscape, in terms of both size and impact," he noted.

The 190-MW power plant will not only facilitate fuel diversification with a cleaner fuel, which is important to Jamaica as an island State, but will also allow JPS to retire its ageing plant in Old Harbour Bay.

President and CEO of JPS, Kelly Tomblin, who also addressed the signing ceremony, expressed her appreciation for TSK and the SJPC project team, who together remained determined and committed throughout the development process to ensure construction of the new plant.

She noted that JPS continues to be true to the mission to find an energy solution for every Jamaican, with an unwavering focus on economic development, fuel diversity and an intelligent grid.

CEO of the Spanish contracting firm, TSK, Joaquin Garcia, said he was pleased to be working alongside SJPC to help make this significant contribution to the Jamaican economy.

The firm, he said, looked forward to building the power plant and helping to change the local energy landscape. The plant will be completed by early 2019.

TSK, an engineering, procurement and construction company based in Spain’s Asturias, will carry out turnkey construction of the combined cycle plant for the JPS.

The plant will be able to operate with two fuels — gas and diesel — and will use a seawater cooling system. It will also be the largest plant of the kind in Jamaica.

It is located in the fishing village of Old Harbour, St Catherine, and will replace an existing plant powered by oil fuel and will contribute significantly to improving CO2 emissions in Jamaica.